Electronic data sources, such as conventional databases, the Internet (i.e., the World Wide Web("WWW")) are a rich and important means of information retrieval and distribution and, increasingly, electronic commerce. However, there are problems finding the information desired in this increasingly complex and changing network of data sources. Recently introduced Internet "search engines", such as YAHOO, help by allowing a user to search on-line indices of information sources, and even full source text, for relevant key words and phrases related to their topic of interest, but even carefully structured queries by experienced users often results in hundreds and even thousands of possible "hits" which are not sufficiently specific to preclude further manual search which is both data resource inefficient and time consuming.
Because of these inefficiencies, as well as general lack of familiarity with search engines and their syntax, users often rely on human readable print and broadcast media advertising to identify source addresses (e.g., Uniform Resource Locators ("URLs")) for Web sites and other online information of interest. Print media is particularly effective since: (1) it is the most ubiquitous method of communication and advertising in the modern world; and (2) a printed document can serve as a persistent reference to be saved and used during a subsequent on-line session.
However, human readable printed source addresses, and especially URL's, are particularly difficult to manually enter in software programs, such as web browsers, due to their length and use of complex and unfamiliar symbols. If the characters in a URL are not entered exactly, retrieval is prevented or, in a limited number of cases, a legal but incorrect source is accessed. This is especially true when URLs incorporate foreign languages and/or complex query instructions to on-line databases, as is increasingly frequent in most Web sites. In addition, the inability to type or otherwise manually enter symbolic address information due to either disability or lack of training complicates use of on-line information resources such as the Internet for millions of individuals.
Finally, it is widely anticipated that Internet access will increasingly be provided through interactive cable television via Web-ready television receivers and set-top boxes used in conjunction with conventional television receivers. In this home entertainment environment, it is difficult to use keyboards for address entry due to both lack of typing skill and the cumbersome placement of these components. Another method which would eliminate typing and allow users to directly link printed addresses and query scripts to electronic information sources would be highly desirable.
Companies that host Web sites for the purpose of providing information such as advertising, often want to know the identity and other related information of the users who visit their sites (i.e., download files therefrom). It would be quite advantageous to provide such companies or vendors with this information as part of a specific file transfer request, e.g., as part of a CGI parameters string included in a URL. Additionally, it would be desirable to be able to effect a secure manner of transferring this information, so that a user would have confidence in the system and thus send sensitive information such as a credit card number or the like with the file transfer request. This would enable electronic commerce to flourish well beyond the point it exists today.